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Stinky crab cage
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2025 5:59 pm
by C: ClareCrabOwner :)
My crab enclosure smells a little weird. Is this usual?
I don't know how to describe the smell... It's like stinky bananas?
Does the dirt usually smell like something?
It does not smell like a crab died, though.
Re: Stinky crab cage
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2025 7:47 pm
by mrsnuggles
It could be that they have buried some food. mine love to bury their kale, making me think theyve eaten it. nope. just buried. have you given them any food other than the standard food? perhaps bananas? i would recommend cleaning out the cage and giving the substrate a fresh replacement or clean.
-snuggles/turtle
Re: Stinky crab cage
Posted: Mon Jan 20, 2025 8:10 pm
by C: ClareCrabOwner :)
That was what I thought! (That they had buried food).
However, I only just got them, so I don't think that they would have had time to bury any thing yet.
(But thank you, though, so much!)
Re: Stinky crab cage
Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2025 1:38 am
by HermitGuy3
By "cleaned the substrate" do you mean that you spot cleaned the surface, or you did a full substrate change/clean?
Re: Stinky crab cage
Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2025 11:28 am
by C: ClareCrabOwner :)
I took out all the subsrate and baked it in the oven at 350 F. for 40 min.
Re: Stinky crab cage
Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2025 1:01 pm
by HermitGuy3
You don't need to do that unless there is an emergency. It only stresses out the crabs.
Re: Stinky crab cage
Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2025 1:06 pm
by C: ClareCrabOwner :)
I cleaned the cage and set it up three days ago, then got the crabs 2 days ago.
Re: Stinky crab cage
Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2025 1:20 pm
by HermitGuy3
Ohhhh ok sorry for misunderstanding!
Re: Stinky crab cage
Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2025 1:47 pm
by C: ClareCrabOwner :)
No problem!
Re: Stinky crab cage
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2025 12:23 am
by curlysister
mrsnuggles wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2025 7:47 pm
It could be that they have buried some food. mine love to bury their kale, making me think theyve eaten it. nope. just buried. have you given them any food other than the standard food? perhaps bananas? i would recommend cleaning out the cage and giving the substrate a fresh replacement or clean.
-snuggles/turtle
I don't think I would go to all the trouble of a deep clean just because of a bit of banana smell.
Re: Stinky crab cage
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2025 12:25 am
by curlysister
Coco fiber can for sure have a bit of a smell, kind of a damp earthy smell, IMO.
Re: Stinky crab cage
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2025 10:57 am
by C: ClareCrabOwner :)
That's probably why!
I wasn't sure how to describe it! Thank you!
Re: Stinky crab cage
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2025 1:33 pm
by mrsnuggles
curlysister wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 12:23 am
I don't think I would go to all the trouble of a deep clean just because of a bit of banana smell.
sorry, i didnt mean giving a full deep clean, just cleaning the bits that smell/affected by the smell. sorry for the confusion ^^
Re: Stinky crab cage
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2025 2:31 pm
by C: ClareCrabOwner :)
I appreciate the help!